The Duxbury Window Trail offers a challenging but rewarding climb to a scenic viewpoint that overlooks the Green Mountains. The trail is about 3.1 miles long and gains about 1,259 feet in elevation. It is part of the Long Trail, which runs the length of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada.

The trail is open year-round and is especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves change color. The trailhead is located on Duxbury Road, near the Winooski River. The trail follows the Long Trail south, passing through a forest of hardwoods and conifers. The trail gets steeper as it approaches the Duxbury Window, which is a gap in the trees that offers a panoramic view of Camel's Hump and the surrounding peaks. There is a wooden bench at the window where hikers can rest and enjoy the scenery. The trail continues uphill to a spur trail that leads to the Bamforth Ridge Shelter, which is a camping spot for Long Trail hikers. The shelter is about 2.5 miles from the trailhead and has a water source nearby. 

Vermont’s Long Trail follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts-Vermont line to the Canadian border. Built between 1910 and 1930, it was the vision of James P. Taylor and later became the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. The Long Trail and Appalachian Trail share 100 miles of trail in the southern part of the state.

On the Long Trail, hikers encounter the best natural features Vermont has to offer, including pristine ponds, alpine sedges, hardwood forests, and swift streams. Known as the “footpath in the wilderness,” it is easy in a few sections and rugged in most. Steep inclines and plenty of mud present hikers with plenty of challenges.

As maintainer and protector of the Long Trail, the Green Mountain Club works in partnership with the Green Mountain National Forest, the State of Vermont, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and private landowners to offer a world-class hiking trail.

The Long Trail is truly the trail for everyone. Each year, hundreds of thru-hikers set out to complete the trail in one go, a journey that has been completed in under 5 days but typically takes multiple weeks. Section hikers tackle the trail in bursts, often completing the Long Trail over the course of many years.

Hikers who hike every mile of the Long Trail, whether in day trips, multi-day sections, or all at once, are called “End-to-Enders” and are eligible to register for inclusion in the GMC’s official records.

Most trail users are day hikers, who enjoy desired destinations as day trips without camping out on the trail.

The AllTrails website has a map and description of the trail.